Job Of A Police Officer example essay topic

Police Professionalism By: Loren Hensley Police officers have a very reputable job, meaning they must be professional at all times. The job of a police officer is to protect and to serve the public. Since most of their time is spent in the public eye, they are expected to maintain professional behavior. The first step in projecting their professionalism is their dress. They should be dressed neatly, and according to the uniform regulations of their department. Appearances say a lot since that is the first thing the public sees.

An officer that does not look like he is well- kept portrays to the people that he does not take his job seriously. Good hygiene is also an important part of an officer's personal appearance. An officer that is enthusiastic about his job and who wants to project that image should dress the part. Attitude says a lot about a person as well. In law enforcement having a positive attitude is particularly important. When dealing with a perpetrator or victim, officers should be compassionate yet firm.

Being respectful is a good way to get started. You can always escalate the amount of force used, depending on the situation. An officer must always project the image of being in control in order to be effective. If the first thing an officer does is wrestle a person to the ground it could be construed as an abuse of power, which thanks to the media, the public thinks law enforcement agencies do quite often. Police officers should always try to practice controlled authority at first approach, in other words, be firm but compassionate. Keep in mind that many of these people are depending on you to help them or solve a problem An officer's control of a situation also helps him gain the confidence and trust of the community which can also help the police with crime prevention.

When you approach someone during an incident, explain to them why you perform actions, and answer their questions. Engaging the public in conversation helps to make the officer a part of the community and helps gain the confidence of the public and improves the image of the police in the community. No matter where law enforcement officers are they should maintain their professionalism. For instance, it does not make a good impression on the public if an officer is off duty and out with his buddies at a bar getting drunk and belligerent. If other patrons know he's a police officer, it damages his reputation and public image as well as the department he works for. Police should also always be careful of what they say.

You never know who could be listening. Perhaps a co-worker's wife stopped in at the department store for something and another officer made crude comments that were over- heard by the wife. Not only is an incident like that downright rude and unprofessional, it could also be interpreted as harassment. Police officers must realize that they are expected by the community to maintain a level of integrity that others are not held to. This off-duty behavior could be misread as the officer being insincere about his job when on duty. A police officer's training covers many areas.

As times change the laws change, and an officer that knows the law and how to properly enforce it, makes a smarter, more professional, and more efficient officer. An officer has to be aware of the social issues in his community, know the law, and be able to think and act like a part of the community in order to make the proper decisions. One change the officer has to be aware of is the media. Officers should be aware that certain practices might be seen as unjust or even racial profiling. If the public does not trust the police or thinks they are unfair, it's makes them less likely to cooperate with them or give them information. The integrity of the police is questioned and their authority doesn't mean anything if they are not trusted.

This can affect the whole community in a negative way since the public's cooperation is important to crime prevention. Our criminal justice system begins with the police. The way the police respond to a situation and interact with the community eventually affects the community's way of life. An officer's actions determine how effective and fair our whole law process is. Police officers are trained to develop many skills and to understand and carry out their professional duty, to become experts in their field. The goal of the police officer is to prevent crime not fight crime.